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Light weight, protective cushioning, and zero drop come together in the Saucony Virrata. This neutral trainer features a flexible and 0mm offset platform to allow you a natural and uninhibited stride, while retaining the cushioning you need to guard you from the hard road. A seamless and breathable mesh upper provides a comfortable bootie-like fit, while the low weight of the shoe makes it an ideal partner for training and racing.

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Shoe Help Videos

Customer Reviews

Comments: Tried these in the same size that I use for my Kinvara 3s, despite having heard warnings about how much narrower they are. Well, I have to admit I *was* a bit worried when I first put them on...they DID look and feel noticeably tighter in the forefoot. Happy to say that the upper stretches out pretty quickly, and I was able to do 9 miles out of the box without any problem. They do feel like I'm getting a cleaner mid/forefoot strike and, more importantly, my footplant falls under/behind my center of mass more easily than with the 4mm drop Kinvaras. My calves did feel a bit exhausted by the end, however...am thinking that these shoes might be best for speed, tempo, and hills up to about 6 or 7 miles for best results, but will continue to use my Mirage for long runs (10-26 miles) and gradually phase in the Virratas for my medium runs now and again to see if I can get used to the zero drop more and more.

From: Eddie, Somerville, MA. 2/25/14

Comments: Just got my first pair of Virratas. I usually train in Cortanas and do speed work and racing in Kivaras. I wore these around the house for a few hours and had a feeling they were going to work well. Put 20 miles on them the next day with no blisters or hot spots. I did end up having more muscle fatigue in my calves, probably because of not being used to the zero drop. I did not lose any speed, however. I'm stoked on this shoe. Fit like a glove.From: Rojer, Reno, NV, USA. 2/4/14

Comments: Love the Virrata. This is a fast fast trainer/racer. The zero drop and extreme flexibility lets you run very naturally but there's still plenty of cushioning. First 5K with these set a PR and finished 7th. Again I was delighted with how much support I had in these on a tough hilly course. I really felt like they just carried me up the hills without a ton of effort. This is the best 0 drop shoe I have worn to date and will be the shoe I wear in all 5Ks.From: Mike, Clarksburg, MD

Comments: Great shoe! I've used it for different distances including interval workouts and even half-marathon distance, yet never failed to impress me. I love how they designed a glove like upper that still soft and breathable. It's very light to the point that it feels like a racing shoe, yet it still offers a very cushioned ride. I also don't mind the fact that the shoe looks amazing. Outsole and upper durability could be improved, otherwise everything else is excellent. I prefer this over the Kinvara 3, Kinvara 4, Asics Gel-Lyte33 2, and New Balance 1400.From: James

Comments: These Virratas are fantastic. Five miles right out of the box, no problems that day or any day since. They are light, comfortable, and fast. Have had 2 pairs of Kinvaras that I love.....and I like these better.From: Jeff, Columbia, SC

Comments: My first run impression of the Virratas was very good. I had a very consistent true mid-foot strike, which I like. I liked how the cushioning and flex of the shoe worked together. I liked how light it was. The zero drop was noticeable, but took a relatively short distance to get used to for me coming from the Kinvaras. I was able to wear my standard shoe size in the Virratas. From: Howard, Cincinnati

Comments: These shoes are magic on my feet. If you're a runner who enjoys the kinvara series and runs in the midfoot area, buy these. They are the same thing, but lighter and cushioned in the midfoot. I had to buy a size 9 in mens when I'm usually a size 8.5 in Men's kinvara. But check the shoefitter just in case! I ran in the Brooks Pureconnect which were also good, but I felt the ground too much. The Viratta is for midfoot strikers who want some of that cushion for minimal running. Love it!From: Nathan, Oregon, USA

Comments: Let me start off by saying phenomenal shoe! it is a perfect blend of a trainer, tempo shoe, and speedwork shoe. Very lightweight, super flexible and cushioned responsive ride like the kinvara but not overly mushy. The toe box has plenty of width to allow toes to splay and the upper is nice and breathable. Overall this is an awesome zero drop shoe that doesn't destroy you legs...take note new balance!From: Scott

Comments: Amazing shoe. As a Vibram Five Finger runner for over a year (completing one half marathon in them) I needed something that was more comfortable on my feet and would allow me to push to full marathon distance, while sustaining the zero-drop feel and maintaining a minimalist form of running. This shoe was the answer to all my requests. Now I'm easily able to push past the 13.1 mark and have achieved a new PR in these shoes!From: Noah, Clovis, CA, USA

Comments: Didnt even have 60 miles on these shoes. Left ankle loophole tore while lacing up. Maybe a defective shoe? Who knows. Returned for a store credit to buy the Kinvara 3s. Better and reliable shoe. I do have to say RunningWarehouse.com provided excellent customer service when it came time to return these so-so shoes. Oh, almost forgot, they run a little bigger for the Saucony brand.From: Akron, OH

Comments: I just ran a 50k in the Virrata. Surface included sand, gravel, and rocks. The shoes came through in fine shape: no signs of wear and very comfortable. From: James, Provo, UT, USA

Comments: Been using the Puma Faas 300, the Mizuno Musha, the Nike LT occasionally (super narrow), and the Kinvara 3. The Kinvara was on my feet the most, until the Virrata. I was apprehensive of the thick midsole - like the Kinvara - but this shoe is very responsive. Not super soft, just a responsive ride. Since I've always been a mid-foot striker, I have had no problem adjusting to the shoe. Nicely done, Saucony. Before the Kinvara, it was 20+ years since I was in a Saucony; and they still offer the wider forefoot in models like the Kinvara and Virrata.From: Ted, VA

Comments: I have been using only Saucony shoes for the better part of two years. I loved the Kinvara 2, but wanted something more minimal. So I moved to the Type A5, which is a great shoe, but I started having foot problems (arches, toes), so I went back to the Kinvara. The Virrata feels like a Type A5 with the cushioning of a Kinvara. They fit like a glove (great minimalist upper) and feel great on my feet. So far, two thumbs up!From: Steve, East Marion, NY, USA

Comments: Before I talk about the Virrata let me mention a little about the types of shoes that tend to work best for me. I am a huge Saucony fan and have run exclusively in the Kinvara for the past 3 years. The Kinvara was the best running shoe I have ever worn. It was light, cushioned just enough, and approaching the minimalist end of the shoe spectrum. One of my biggest complaints about the Kinvara was the 4mm drop so when I heard about the Virrata I was ecstatic to learn saucony was putting out something similar to the Kinvara but had a 0 drop midsole. I have run in the Viratta for almost 2 weeks now and let me say I love the shoe. They run true to size and have been amazing. They take a little getting used to but have been well worth it. i would strongly recommend to this shoe to anyone who is leaning towards a more minimalist shoe but not willing to take the plunge to barefoot running. I have tried barefoot running in the past (Vivo Barefoot Evo) with mixed results. Barefoot running helped me to really develop the muscles in my lower legs and feet but caused 2 stress fractures in my feet. Try the Viratta! I really think Saucony has found a winner with this shoe. It will help you develop muscles in your legs that traditional trainers overlook.From: Scott, Edison, NJ

Comments: Recommend this shoe. Got the chance to wear test this shoe and actually ran a marathon in it as well. Held up great and offered tons of support/cushion for a lightweight shoe.From: Anonymous

Men's Shoe Finder

Pronation Control:

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Pronation

Pronation Control indicates how shoes match up with a runner's foot motion.

Premium shoes are for runners who run daily and/or run high-mileage. Premium shoes use high-end materials and the latest technology to enhance comfort.

Standard shoes are for runners who run daily and/or run high-mileage. Standard shoes use time-tested technologies and materials to meet the needs of consistent running.

Performance shoes are for runners who want shoes for faster paced training, such as tempo runs and interval workouts. Performance shoes are also suitable for daily training but will tend to wear faster than Standard and Premium shoes.

Racing shoes are for runners looking for peak performance in racing 5K to marathon distances and beyond. Racing shoes are also suitable for fast-paced interval sessions. Durability is sacrificed to save weight.

Surface:

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Surface

Road shoes are designed for running on asphalt and concrete.

Road-Trail shoes are designed for running on asphalt, concrete and well-groomed, broad trails.

Hard Trail shoes are designed for running on hard, natural surfaces such as granite, sandstone, rocky terrain and hard-packed dirt.

Varied Trail shoes are designed for running on a mixture of natural surfaces from rocky, to loose dirt, to wood chips and similar.

Soft Trail shoes are designed for running on soft ground such as muddy terrain and damp, grassy fields.

RoadRoad/TrailHard TrailVaried TrailSoft Trail

Heel-Toe Offset:

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Heel-Toe Offset

Heel-Toe Offset refers to the height difference between the heel and the forefoot of the shoe. The heel is usually higher than the forefoot but is never lower than the forefoot. Some runners believe a lower offset leads to more efficient running. Traditional running shoes have 10-13mm offsets. Moving from higher to lower heel-toe offsets may require a transition period.

0mm1mm - 2mm3mm - 4mm5mm - 6mm7mm - 8mm9mm - 10mm11mm+

Stack Height:

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Stack Height

Stack height refers to how much shoe is between your foot and the ground. For this search, stack height refers to how much shoe is under your forefoot, as the heel height will be equal to or greater than the forefoot height.

Barefoot: 1-8mm. The shoe generally does not have a midsole and feels like there is no cushioning. This shoe is all about feeling the ground.

Minimal: 9-13mm. The shoe has a thin midsole but there is a lack of cushioning. Racing shoes and minimalist shoes are common here and there is a feeling of being connected to the road.

Low: 14-18mm. The shoe has a midsole and may have added cushioning technologies. Performance and trail shoes are common here and there is still a good feel for the ground.

Medium: 19-23mm. The shoe has a traditional midsole height. Standard and Premium shoes are common here and cushioning technologies are prevalent. Feeling of the ground varies.

High: 24-29mm. The shoe has a thick midsole and extra cushioning. There is less feel for the ground and more feel of the shoe.

Maximal: 30mm plus. The shoe has an extremely thick midsole and extra cushioning. The focus is on feeling a soft shoe and not really feeling the ground.